Heart of a Healer
by pocketcucco
Summary: Mint prays for the soul of her deceased mother at the Yggdrasill Tree, wishing for something that she can't get back.


**A/N: **I had this idea while listening to "The Theme of Eva" on the _Devil May Cry _(my latest video gaming obsession) soundtrack. It's a sad song, and for some reason it made me think of Mint and her late mother, Meryl. The idea for this oneshot slowly formed in my head while I kept listening to the track, and after I began writing it down, it just grew. Mint's an underused character, so why not give her the spotlight for a while?

Anyway, here is the finished result, and I hope you enjoy it. Happy Mother's Day!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Tales of Phantasia_.

_Heart of a Healer_

Mint sighed heavily, a solemn sadness settling in her usually bright sapphire eyes. She knew she should have been happy; Cless and Chester had just completed building several homes in the demolished town of Miguel, a feat that had taken them several long weeks. But she couldn't help feeling depressed. It was Mother's Day, and it was the first time she was spending the holiday without her mother.

Mint had been very close to her mother all her life. Growing up, her mother had taught her everything she knew about healing; Meryl had been a very adept healer, well known in their village for her skill. Ever since her untimely death, Mint had felt a hollow sadness in her heart. She had tried her best to suppress it and had succeeded up until now.

'_She doesn't even have a grave I can visit,' _she thought. Her mother's body was still lost in the depths of the catacombs, and there was no chance of Mint ever being able to go back there. Morrison had probably sealed the catacombs by now to keep people from reentering the place where Dhaos had once been sealed away.

"Hey, Mint," Cless said, breaking her away from her thoughts. "Are you all right?"

She stared at him for a moment as if in a daze. "I'm fine," she replied presently, trying to force a weak smile.

He frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She turned away, focusing her gaze on an oddly-shaped cloud overhead.

Cless looked away, running one hand through his light blonde hair. "I know it's Mother's Day, so today must be tough for you..."

She nodded a bit. "I'll admit it is. I still miss my mother very much."

"I don't blame you. The two of you were very close, weren't you?"

"Very much so," Mint replied. "Even though she's not here anymore, I still want to do something for her, but she doesn't even have her own gravesite..."

Cless thought for a moment. "Well...was there a place she took you to when you were young? A place where the two of you shared a lot of memories?"

Mint thought for a moment. Suddenly, she broke into a lighthearted smile. "Yes! I know just the place. I think I'll go there."

"Alone? Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine, Cless. Don't worry about me," she insisted. "It's not far from here. I'll be back soon, all right?"

"Just be careful. I don't know what kind of monsters are hanging around."

She smiled quietly, slightly amused at his deep concern for her wellbeing. "I told you not to worry. I'll be fine."

* * *

While the sun was still high in the sky, Mint traveled to the Yggdrasill Tree deep in the Spirit Woods. The walk wasn't long, and the weather made travel easy.

To her relief, the Tree still looked as magnificent as it had the last time she had visited it. She was often worried that it might wither and die as it had in the past, but Martel's magic and their combined efforts had kept it alive and well for so long. She was relieved, as it was the Yggdrasill Tree that allowed her to heal by using mana.

Mint remembered that once, when she was a young child, her mother had brought her to the Tree. But it was already withered and long dead; the branches had been a rough, chalky gray and no leaves could grow. The trunk was hollow and empty, devoid of life.

Deep within the dead tree, she could hear what sounded like distant whispers:

_Help the Tree..._

_Don't let it suffer anymore..._

_I'm in pain..._

She had felt its immense pain and suffering not only that day, but every time she visited it afterwards. Now that it was alive, she no longer heard the pained murmurs from the Yggdrasill Tree.

It had been there that Meryl had taught Mint how to heal. She had learned so much from her mother growing up, and she felt as if she owed her so much. Mint laid down her staff at the base of the tree and placed her hand on its rough bark.

"Mother, I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to save you then..." Mint whispered. "And I'm not strong enough to help you now."

The distant murmur of running water filled the silence of the forest glade. Birdsong drifted down from the higher branches of the tree. Mint's hand curled into a loose fist as she lowered herself to her knees, still touching the tree trunk.

"What is there for me to do now?" She asked in an almost inaudible voice.

"_You've done enough._"

Mint looked up, her eyes widening with fear. The voice that had replied to her sounded hauntingly familiar. A faint, indiscernible mist surrounded her as she knelt at the Tree.

"_You've done enough, Mint. Look around you; it is thanks to you and the efforts of your friends that the Yggdrasill Tree has been revived._" The voice spoke again, light and reverberating. "_Nothing more can be done._"

Mint looked around curiously, still keeping an eye on the strange mist. "Who is that?"

"_It's all right,"_ The voice assured her. "_Ever since that day, I've been watching you... You've done well as a healer. I'm proud of you._"

Mint pushed herself to her feet, tears brimming in the corners of her eyes. "M...Mother?"

"_There's no need to punish yourself. You are a strong healer now... You've used your skill for the good of this world. I could ask for nothing more than that._"

"But I couldn't use it to save you."

"_The dead cannot be revived. You must focus on what you can accomplish in the present. Do not dwell so much on the past,_" her mother's voice said. "_The past cannot be changed, but the future can._"

"Yes..."

"_I'm glad you decided to visit the Tree today. Thank you... And I'm proud of your work._"

Mint smiled happily. "Thank you, Mother."

"_Go return to your friends. I'm sure they're worried about you._"

"I will," she replied with a quick nod. The mist slowly began to dissipate, and her mother's voice faded to a faint whisper. Panic began to flutter in Mint's chest, and she remembered why she had come to the Yggdrasill Tree in the first place.

"Happy Mother's Day!" she called, watching as the mist completely disappeared into thin air. She stood silently, waiting for her mother's reply, but received none.

"She's all ready gone..." Mint whispered, looking up at the Tree. Sunlight filtered through its thick branches, casting dancing shadows on the ground. She imagined her mother somewhere up there, watching her from far away. The thought comforted her as she turned to leave.

"Thank you for everything you taught me..."


End file.
